1Who We Are

Who We Are

BRCS (Building Control) Ltd

BRCS (Building Control) Limited was formed in 1996 to respond to the challenging opportunity legislation provides for Corporate Approved Inspectors to practise in the private sector. As one of the first three bodies to be able to undertake the building control role for commercial projects the local authority monopoly was thus removed.

BRCS believes in the pursuit of excellence in the delivery of its services based on a commitment to the satisfaction of the client’s needs. Acting as your Building Control Body we would endeavour to become a professional member of the design and construction team. The agreed values and strategic principles that guide our work are:

– Care of the Customer

– A Quality Service

– Accessibility/Flexibility

– Effectiveness

– Efficiency

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) produced a joint publication ‘Building Control Performance Standards’ for adoption by all Building Control Bodies. BRCS, as a minimum, adopts these standards. Where appropriate, improvements to this level of service will be offered to the benefit of the client. The mechanisms laid down within this documentation represent our formal policy for the provision of our building control service, ensuring performance is monitored and quality levels are achieved. An independent audit of the Company highlighted the following strengths:

– Highly profitable company, financially secure

– Highly focussed management

– Small, flexible company

– Technically competent

The benefits of utilising the professional services offered by BRCS include:

– A realistic fee structure tailored to the individual project or group of projects

– Utilisation of fully qualified and experienced personnel

– Senior management involvement for each project

– A proven proficiency to control the full range of building projects

– Flexibility to react, to the onerous time constraints imposed by the majority of building projects

2Approved Inspector ?

Role of an Approved Inspector

BRCS (Building Control) Limited is a company approved by Government to act as a Building Control Body. A designer, contractor, developer or client intending to construct a new building, extend, alter or change the use of an existing building is likely to require the benefit of Building Regulation approval – BRCS can offer this service as a true private sector alternative to local authority building control.

In England and Wales we can trace back the history of building control to London in 1189. Henry Fitz Ailwyn was appointed mayor and his London Assize was virtually the first London Building Act – the first Building Regulations. Unfortunately, no powers existed to enforce the requirements made or impose penalties. In the aftermath of the Great Fire of London, City Viewers were appointed to enforce the Rebuilding Act of 1667. These can be regarded as the first building control surveyors, who also operated in the private sector. The utilization of private sector Approved Inspectors has a rich history. BRCS is able to operate under The Building (Approved Inspectors, etc.) Regulations – to provide an excellence in service on the full range of issues relating to building control to ensure the highest standards are achieved to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of people in and about buildings. For more information, please read ‘Understanding the building regulations’ by Simon Polley (Managing Director of BRCS), published by Spon Press.

3Our Personnel

Our Personnel

BRCS are fortunate to have in place key building control professionals committed to the company aims and able to facilitate our Corporate Approved Inspector role and the other consultancy services. All senior technical personnel are full corporate members of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers and/or the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Our ranks include in-house Fire Safety and Structural Engineers.

The experienced personnel resource includes regional managers and support staff, able to deliver a quality building control service across England and Wales.

Please scroll down the page to view the Curriculum Vitaes of our Directors.

Simon Polley

Years experience: 38
Current position: Managing Director

Career Summary

Simon is a leading figure in the field of private sector building control following ten years’ service in local authority. A Fellow of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers, and a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Institution of Fire Engineers. Prior to setting up BRCS (Building Control) Ltd, Simon operated as the Principal Consultant of the Building Regulation Consultancy Service for ten years. As a building regulation consultant and fire safety engineer work revolved around the application and interpretation of building regulations, fire precautions and other legislation. Advice and guidance offered on a vast range of different and complex issues and projects, including Crown properties, large mixed use and multi-storey buildings.

Founder of BRCS (Building Control) Limited, Simon has applied this vast experience to the development of BRCS to become one of the leading Corporate Approved Inspectors. Recent projects where Simon has been directly involved include No 1 Millbank for the Parliamentary Estate Directorate, Monsoon HQ at Notting Hill Village, The British Film Institute archive facility at Gaydon and the major refurbishment of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Author of ‘Understanding the Building Regulations’, a 350 page text published by E & FN Spon (6th Edition 2014), and other reference guides.

Frank Robinson

Years of experience: 41
Current position: Director

Career Summary

Frank is a corporate member of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers, and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and also holds an honours degree in Fire Engineering. Frank’s early career saw him working with a number local authority building control sections across East Anglia and in the Home Counties. Then following seven years as a self–employed consultant, working in both the public and private sectors, he became a director of BRCS (Building Control) Ltd. in the year 2000.

As a building control surveyor Frank has dealt with almost all forms of buildings including: domestic alterations and extensions, change of use, sheltered housing, hospitals, Crown premises, hotel developments and major office developments. Recent relevant experience includes plan checking and inspection of works in progress of office developments including base build up to a value of £50m, fit out works with a value of £4m, a new college of higher education, and numerous supermarkets and hotels. All of these developments have benefited from his knowledge of fire engineering. Continuing professional development includes courses with the Open University and other technical seminars with an emphasis on fire safety matters, and holds a Diploma in Construction Health and Safety Management.

Sue Polley

Years of experience: 31
Current position: Director

Career Summary

Sue is a founder director of BRCS, now acting as Company Secretary. Key roles include, financial management, payroll, HR and company logistics.

Prior to Sue’s involvement with the limited company she worked for over 8 years in a large administration section within a Government Department. On leaving public sector employment to start a family, two boys and a girl, Sue also became an integral part of the BRCS Building Regulation Consultancy Service.

Professional development is maintained by ongoing training for office environment software, employment law, associated administration support and acting as the company first aid co-ordinator.

4Job Opportunites

Job Opportunities

Current Vacancies in Essex

ExperiencedBuilding Control Surveyors

BRCS, as one of the first Corporate Approved Inspectors, continues to experience significant demand for our Building Control services.

Our reputation to deliver a professional Building Control service in accordance with Performance Standards has seen repeat business and a range of new clients from both the private and public sectors. Long-term commissions and on-going partnerships have ensured the expansion of our project portfolio offering a diverse range from small high street fit-outs to multi-million pound hotel, retail and government schemes.

Our Central Administration office in Chelmsford, Essex, requires experiencedBuilding Control Surveyors (member of the ABE or RICS preferred) to undertake the full range of our responsibilities as Corporate Approved Inspectors. The role will involve: –

· Plan checking and site inspections of interesting and significant projects

· Commission Manager for key clients, acting as single point of contact

· Ability to apply a flexible, sensitive and professional approach

Our reward to you would be a highly competitive salary package, including bonus scheme, career progression, pleasant riverside a/c offices with ample car parking and close links to road/rail networks.

Please send CV and letter of support to our Personnel Manager at info@BRCS.co.uk

Who We Are

BRCS (Building Control) Ltd

BRCS (Building Control) Limited was formed in 1996 to respond to the challenging opportunity legislation provides for Corporate Approved Inspectors to practise in the private sector. As one of the first three bodies to be able to undertake the building control role for commercial projects the local authority monopoly was thus removed.

BRCS believes in the pursuit of excellence in the delivery of its services based on a commitment to the satisfaction of the client’s needs. Acting as your Building Control Body we would endeavour to become a professional member of the design and construction team. The agreed values and strategic principles that guide our work are:

– Care of the Customer

– A Quality Service

– Accessibility/Flexibility

– Effectiveness

– Efficiency

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) produced a joint publication ‘Building Control Performance Standards’ for adoption by all Building Control Bodies. BRCS, as a minimum, adopts these standards. Where appropriate, improvements to this level of service will be offered to the benefit of the client. The mechanisms laid down within this documentation represent our formal policy for the provision of our building control service, ensuring performance is monitored and quality levels are achieved. An independent audit of the Company highlighted the following strengths:

– Highly profitable company, financially secure

– Highly focussed management

– Small, flexible company

– Technically competent

The benefits of utilising the professional services offered by BRCS include:

– A realistic fee structure tailored to the individual project or group of projects

– Utilisation of fully qualified and experienced personnel

– Senior management involvement for each project

– A proven proficiency to control the full range of building projects

– Flexibility to react, to the onerous time constraints imposed by the majority of building projects

Role of an Approved Inspector

BRCS (Building Control) Limited is a company approved by Government to act as a Building Control Body. A designer, contractor, developer or client intending to construct a new building, extend, alter or change the use of an existing building is likely to require the benefit of Building Regulation approval – BRCS can offer this service as a true private sector alternative to local authority building control.

In England and Wales we can trace back the history of building control to London in 1189. Henry Fitz Ailwyn was appointed mayor and his London Assize was virtually the first London Building Act – the first Building Regulations. Unfortunately, no powers existed to enforce the requirements made or impose penalties. In the aftermath of the Great Fire of London, City Viewers were appointed to enforce the Rebuilding Act of 1667. These can be regarded as the first building control surveyors, who also operated in the private sector. The utilization of private sector Approved Inspectors has a rich history. BRCS is able to operate under The Building (Approved Inspectors, etc.) Regulations – to provide an excellence in service on the full range of issues relating to building control to ensure the highest standards are achieved to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of people in and about buildings. For more information, please read ‘Understanding the building regulations’ by Simon Polley (Managing Director of BRCS), published by Spon Press.

Our Personnel

BRCS are fortunate to have in place key building control professionals committed to the company aims and able to facilitate our Corporate Approved Inspector role and the other consultancy services. All senior technical personnel are full corporate members of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers and/or the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Our ranks include in-house Fire Safety and Structural Engineers.

The experienced personnel resource includes regional managers and support staff, able to deliver a quality building control service across England and Wales.

Please scroll down the page to view the Curriculum Vitaes of our Directors.

Simon Polley

Years experience: 38
Current position: Managing Director

Career Summary

Simon is a leading figure in the field of private sector building control following ten years’ service in local authority. A Fellow of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers, and a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Institution of Fire Engineers. Prior to setting up BRCS (Building Control) Ltd, Simon operated as the Principal Consultant of the Building Regulation Consultancy Service for ten years. As a building regulation consultant and fire safety engineer work revolved around the application and interpretation of building regulations, fire precautions and other legislation. Advice and guidance offered on a vast range of different and complex issues and projects, including Crown properties, large mixed use and multi-storey buildings.

Founder of BRCS (Building Control) Limited, Simon has applied this vast experience to the development of BRCS to become one of the leading Corporate Approved Inspectors. Recent projects where Simon has been directly involved include No 1 Millbank for the Parliamentary Estate Directorate, Monsoon HQ at Notting Hill Village, The British Film Institute archive facility at Gaydon and the major refurbishment of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Author of ‘Understanding the Building Regulations’, a 350 page text published by E & FN Spon (6th Edition 2014), and other reference guides.

Frank Robinson

Years of experience: 41
Current position: Director

Career Summary

Frank is a corporate member of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers, and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and also holds an honours degree in Fire Engineering. Frank’s early career saw him working with a number local authority building control sections across East Anglia and in the Home Counties. Then following seven years as a self–employed consultant, working in both the public and private sectors, he became a director of BRCS (Building Control) Ltd. in the year 2000.

As a building control surveyor Frank has dealt with almost all forms of buildings including: domestic alterations and extensions, change of use, sheltered housing, hospitals, Crown premises, hotel developments and major office developments. Recent relevant experience includes plan checking and inspection of works in progress of office developments including base build up to a value of £50m, fit out works with a value of £4m, a new college of higher education, and numerous supermarkets and hotels. All of these developments have benefited from his knowledge of fire engineering. Continuing professional development includes courses with the Open University and other technical seminars with an emphasis on fire safety matters, and holds a Diploma in Construction Health and Safety Management.

Sue Polley

Years of experience: 31
Current position: Director

Career Summary

Sue is a founder director of BRCS, now acting as Company Secretary. Key roles include, financial management, payroll, HR and company logistics.

Prior to Sue’s involvement with the limited company she worked for over 8 years in a large administration section within a Government Department. On leaving public sector employment to start a family, two boys and a girl, Sue also became an integral part of the BRCS Building Regulation Consultancy Service.

Professional development is maintained by ongoing training for office environment software, employment law, associated administration support and acting as the company first aid co-ordinator.

Job Opportunities

Current Vacancies in Essex

ExperiencedBuilding Control Surveyors

BRCS, as one of the first Corporate Approved Inspectors, continues to experience significant demand for our Building Control services.

Our reputation to deliver a professional Building Control service in accordance with Performance Standards has seen repeat business and a range of new clients from both the private and public sectors. Long-term commissions and on-going partnerships have ensured the expansion of our project portfolio offering a diverse range from small high street fit-outs to multi-million pound hotel, retail and government schemes.

Our Central Administration office in Chelmsford, Essex, requires experiencedBuilding Control Surveyors (member of the ABE or RICS preferred) to undertake the full range of our responsibilities as Corporate Approved Inspectors. The role will involve: –

· Plan checking and site inspections of interesting and significant projects

· Commission Manager for key clients, acting as single point of contact

· Ability to apply a flexible, sensitive and professional approach

Our reward to you would be a highly competitive salary package, including bonus scheme, career progression, pleasant riverside a/c offices with ample car parking and close links to road/rail networks.

Please send CV and letter of support to our Personnel Manager at info@BRCS.co.uk